Julian Cook
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Why Therapy?
‘Know thyself’ – the famous words written above the ancient oracle at Delphi. My work as a counsellor and psychotherapist is based on the belief that self-knowledge is the truest path towards self-acceptance, self-confidence and inner peace. Whether we work together for a brief time on a single issue or over a long period in more depth, my aim as a therapist is to be your supporter, helper and guide on a journey of self-discovery. I don’t believe that therapy is a way to ‘fix’ ourselves or to become a better version of who we feel we ought to be, but to become who we actually are.
We are all in the grip of forces, internal and external, far more powerful than ourselves. My aim is not so much to reinforce you in a battle with these (although that might be necessary at times), but to help you work out how to accept and work with them to enrich your life.
Underneath many of our conflicts and struggles lie fundamental questions such as ‘What is my life for?’ ‘What do I want?’ ‘What is my place in the world?’, ‘How and who to love?’ ‘How do I live when I know that I must one day die?’ Each of us has to come to some kind of answer that we can live with, and I am here to work alongside you towards that.
What you can expect
I aim to listen carefully to what you tell me and not to impose my own meanings, but to work gently, sensitively and thoughtfully towards helping you really hear your own words and find your own meaning.
Self-knowledge always involves seeing aspects of ourselves we find difficult or painful and my goal is to create an accepting, non-judging, respectful space where you might feel safe enough to express these things whatever they may be, perhaps for the first time.
Training, qualifications & experience
I’ve been offering counselling and psychotherapy to individuals in Bristol since 2006 and have worked with many people of all ages, sexes and from many walks of life. I have worked with people experiencing issues including grief, loss, personal crisis, relationship difficulties, problems with eating, addictions; anxieties related to work, motivation, self-esteem and self-confidence; questions about personal and sexual identity, sexual function, creativity and artistic blocks.
I also offer therapy for counsellors and psychotherapists in training and have worked with trainees from BCPC and University of West of England.
I also offer supervision for practicing counsellors/psychotherapists.
I teach on the Wessex Counselling and Psychotherapy Foundation Course, and will shortly be teaching and providing supervision on their Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling.
Since 2017 I have been a member of Avon Counselling and Psychotherapy service, which aims to offer low-cost professional therapy to those on a low income.
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Fees
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My standard fee is £50 per session, but I may be able to offer some concessionary fees where appropriate.
